Lords of War

PHASE 1

Lords of War
Portrayed by Various - see roster
Known Aliases:	Lords of Justice
Affiliations:	Independent
Socked By:	Nathan (player)
Introduction:	Malibu Madness

Julian Keller's former gang, the Lords of War are a group of young mutants who have been manipulated into assisting a drug dealer keep others off his territory, and who now apparently are out for Julian's blood. The feud ended in November 2010 with the arrest of Gordon Mcphearson, the leader of the group, and most of the gang's members following a botched kidnapping.

First Appearance

August 28, 2009

Roster

Gordon McPhearson:	Raised in Santa Monica, Gordon didn't know he was a mutant until college. His entire life up until meeting his sophomore roommate was neither opulent or unpleasant. Things changed when his roommate, a member of a mutant pride group, started to not be able to control his abilities when Gordon was around. He tested positive as a mutant and discovered his ability to modify the level of someone's powers. Over the next five years of undergraduate work he learned how to control his abilities to the point he could remove powers from a target for a short period of time. After graduation Gordon moved into LA and fell into poverty. In order to make ends meet, he began offering his services to mutants who wanted to control their abilities or increase them. He was approached by a man who represented one of the organized crime syndicates who wanted him to buff up one of their soldiers. Gordon began serving exclusively to criminals, making a small fortune and living far beyond his means; but, when the DA started getting "tough" on organized crime he quickly found himself serving a two year stretch in prison. Following that he started his own gang, the Lords of Justice, tricking those who joined into thinking they were joining a 'superhero' group that took out drug lords. In reality, Gordon was removing the competition to his own operation. Upon discovering this, Julian Keller turned him in and he was jailed again. He was released in August 2009 and immediately went back into crime, with an added vendetta against the young Keller scion. When his plan to have Simon kill Julian in Salem Center failed, he bided his time, eventually kidnapping Julian's family and using their safety as a way to manipulate Julian into doing his bidding. He hadn't reckoned on the X-Men however, and after his defeat SHIELD showed up at the site of the disaster and took him into custody, using power dampeners on him to stop him from draining or boosting anyone else’s powers while being transported. McPhearson cut a deal in exchange for a life sentence in the same facility as Simon, giving up most all the details of his many business ventures to avoid the death penalty. The Lords of War are officially ended and crime was at an all time low in LA for a few days before various gangs began to try to vie to fill the power vacuum that Gordon left behind. Powers: Touch-based Power Augmentation: While maintaining skin-to-skin physical contact with someone, Gordon can augment any inherent abilities toward either empowerment or dampening. The boost or drain lasts no longer than twenty-four hours, but can turn a class one mutant into a class three- or he can near completely remove the abilities of a high level mutant. The repeated indulgence of Gordon's ability has a psychologically addictive side-effect, in which the subject needs Gordon to keep any control of their ability. PB: Sam Witwer
Simon Gutierrez:	Growing up in the South-Side of Los Angeles there were few options for Simon when he was starting to blossom into manhood. However, his parents provided a great many opportunities to him which kept him from joining local street gangs or getting involved in drugs. Ironically, it was one of these opportunities that led him into the company of Gordon McPhearson. Using a recruiter, McPhearson enlisted Simon into his plan to take over the city's drug trade. When the teen discovered the insidious purpose of the group - dubbed the Lords of Justice - he was threatened with the death of his family. It was in these days that he also became friends with Julian Keller, a boy from the other side of the tracks who his family took in. Unlike Simon, Julian knew nothing of the group's true purpose. When the Lords of Justice finally took on something too large for them, Julian learned the truth and in the course of a bungled job, was arrested and gave up the gang. Simon wasn't implicated, but showed up again in Malibu apparently hell-bent on killing his old friend Julian, for reasons unknown. He was arrested following another attempt on Julian's life and was forced to pass on Gordon's instructions to Julian following the abduction of the Keller family from jail. He still has another ten years to serve on his sentence, but with McPhearson in a neighboring cell, he has something to do to pass the time. Powers: Enhanced Strength and Durability: Able to lift an armored car off the ground without a boost from Gordon- Simon is made infinitely more dangerous with the extra jolt he gets from the head of the Lords of Justice. When in an enhanced state Simon is able to punch holes through high grade titantium alloys. As far as durability, he's able to take a bullet or two, or get hit by a truck, but again, boosted, he's able to have a shipping crate dropped on him and walk away. PB: Gus Carr
Ramona Simms:	The older twin, Ramona is in charge of Gordon's drug dealers and works with her brother to distribute drugs around the city. She also runs a legitimate laundromat on the side, which occasionally gets used as a meeting point for her dealers. She uses her abilities to track where the drugs that she handles have been in order to ensure that she's not getting cheated. She also uses it on her dealers to see if they've been stealing from her. Following the kidnapping of the Keller family, she was arrested by California State Police and turned over to SHIELD to stand trial, currently appealing her ruling on the grounds of mind control. Powers: Psychometry: By touching an object, Ramona is able to see the past history of it. Boosted, she is able to reach further back to the origins of an object, deconstructing it piece by piece. PB: Chaunte Wayans
Randall Simms: Presumed deceased	The younger twin is typically abroad working with Colombians and the Thai to bring drugs into the country. He's one of the only mutants who works for Gordon who doesn't actually need power augmentation. His ability to manipulate others by skin-to-skin contact is an asset when dealing with drug lords and law enforcers alike. The twins were recruited into the fold while already running their business in the city and abroad. He is assumed dead, buried during the fight with the X-Men and subsequent mine collapse. Powers: Touch Based Manipulation: A simple touch followed by a command compels even the strongest willed to do the bidding of Randall Simms. Boosted, the touch doesn't even need to be skin to skin, which makes even the most careful drug lord the perfect pawns of Gordon McPhearson. PB: None
Marcus Li:	Li is Gordon's thief, as he's able to get past most modern systems without any effort and typically without getting caught. Cocky, bored and just doing jobs for McPhearson for the rush of the steal and of the boost. Is now addicted to Gordon's powers, though he'd never admit it. Following the kidnapping of the Keller family, he was arrested by the SFPD and turned over to SHIELD to stand trial in connection to a number of bank robberies and museum heists that match his power set. Powers: Flight, Electrical Systems Disruption- Marcus possess the ability for unassisted flight, which, when boosted, has been clocked (by hand measurements) at just shy of mach speed. Normally, he is unable to go faster than 20 mph. He also disrupts any electrical circuits he happens to be near, scrambling cameras and security devices. PB: Lu Nuo
Deena Carter:	Carter is Gordon's right hand and cooler head when he has lost his temper- which happens often. She joined up with him in the days immediately after the Lords of Justice. Decadent, indulging, sultry and a bit of a trollop, she has psychological scars which prevent her from being good. Listens to her id 10 out of 10 times. Following her arrest, she cut a deal with authorities, handing over her mutant trafficking connections in return for protective custody and a lighter sentence. She is currently imprisoned in a secure section of the Vault. Powers: Eye-contact Based Mind Control- If Deena makes eye-contact with someone, they become her zombie for the next twenty-four hours, or until she releases them. During this time, she typically addicts young women to drugs and turns them out to the street or ships them overseas to be sold at auction. The limits of her powers seems to be around 15 people with a boost from McPhearson. PB: Terri Hatcher
Dennis Brown: Presumed deceased	Dennis serves as one of Gordon's general goons. He's muscle, pure and simple, and nothing else. A former University student, Dennis became addicted to Gordon while studying biology. He since has dropped out and now serves the crime boss exclusively. Like Randall Simms, he is assumed dead in the mine collapse. Powers: Manipulation of Solid Earth Elements- Dennis' abilities allow him to reshape the earth as he wishes. His powers are limited by sight, though he can control things through cameras. When boosted, his abilities allow him control within a half-a-mile of where he is standing. PB: None.
Vince McCoy:	Another strong man and enforcer. About as smart as a box of rocks. Vince actually enjoys the work that he does now and would probably do it for free housing and meals. He was arrested by SHIELD before crossing the border into Mexico, currently awaiting trial in California for cooperation in a criminal organization. Powers: Telekinesis- McCoy is able to move objects with psychic force. When boosted, he's able to lift multiple tons of material and focus his abilities on up to a dozen objects at once. Unlike Julian, this Teek focus' things through his mind, rather than his hands. PB: Cory Monteith
Artie Ray:	Another strong man and enforcer. Cocky, afraid to disagree with his betters. A company man. He was arrested by LAPD and turned over to SHIELD to stand trial, currently in the Vault. Powers: Gravity Manipulation- Able to fly, Artie can manipulate the flow of gravity around him, making it stronger (up to 100 earths) or weaker (as low as -3 earths). He is limited by what he is able to see and even with a McPhearson boost, is not able to adjust more than a ten foot circle at a time. PB: Scott Michael Campbell
Mike Smith:	Sniveling and dejected. Life has dealt Mike Smith a raw deal and it could not be more obvious how miserable he is. Laid off due to the recession, Mike now makes his living transporting people around. Not needing a boost to perform, Smith works for the money alone. When the battle turned bad, Mike tried to reach Gordon, but when his boss went down, he teleported himself into the vault, stole a bunch of money and teleported away to Venezuela. The SHIELD search for Mr. Smith is ongoing. Powers: Teleportation- Smith serves as a teleporter for McPhearson's crew. He is able to teleport anywhere he has already been, which works out well since he is a former location scout for Fox Studios. PB: John Hawkes

Details

The Lords of Justice were started by Gordon MacPhearson following his release from prison, for assisting various crime factions with his mutation augmenting powers. Most of the members - including Julian Keller, son of a wealthy LA family - were unaware of the gang's true purpose; they thought Gordon was performing a public service by directing them to take out various drug dealing operations. When individuals did find out, they were coerced to remain silent through a combination of threats against their families and the addictive effect of Gordon's powers.

In 2008, no longer satisfied with the pretense of heroism, Gordon sent the group to rob an armored car at a bank. Once it dawned on Julian that they were attacking security guards, he quickly stopped the group from completing their mission. Unfortunately, the police happened to show up and everyone scattered. Making a rash choice, Julian held the cops off while Simon escaped, only to be arrested himself. In an attempt to escape, he pinned an officer against the brick wall of the bank, breaking both of his arms in the process. The Keller family lawyer made a plea deal that required Julian to give up information on all the members of the Lords of Justice drug syndicate (in addition to a generous donation to the precinct by William to keep the media’s attention elsewhere). The only member of the gang Julian didn’t give up was Simon, who he didn’t see again during his time in Los Angeles.

MacPhearson was released from prison in August 2009. Around this time, Simon and a number of other gang members, mutant and human, showed up at the Keller's beach house and attacked Julian and his friends who were staying there. They were driven off, leaving Julian baffled by the sudden about-face of his former friend.

Another meeting occurred in January 2010 when Julian followed Simon from the hospital where a mutal friend was dying. It resulted in another altercation, this time in a mall, with Dori, Megan and Nico helping Julian escape. Simon tracked Julian down to Salem Center in February 2010 and attacked him during a Valentine's Day meal. The incident led to the arrest of Simon and the various Xavier's students who had been there at the time, and when Simon escaped, the X-Men tracked him down and detained him, handing him over to SHIELD custody. At this time it came out that McPhearson had ordered Simon to kill Julian, holding Simon's family hostage to ensure his cooperation.

Gordon and his gang evaded capture for a considerable time despite their notoriety and in November 2010 they struck against Julian again, this time abducting the young mutant's family. Directed to return to LA via a coded letter sent to him by Simon in prison, Julian was ordered to perform three major crimes in three days, as much to ruin his reputation as for actual gain. However, neither Julian nor Gordon had reckoned on the X-Men, who accompanied Julian to the West Coast. With Janet Van Dyne acting as a spy on the inside with her tiny size, the locations of the three Kellers were determined and rescues performed, although not without casualties as the mine in which Elizabeth Keller was being held collapsed, burying two of the gang members. In the final showdown to rescue Julian's father from Gordon himself, Julian's powers were boosted to dangerous levels, resulting in Gordon's hideout being demolished. SHIELD collected him after the X-Men were done with him, and he and most of the surviving Lords of War are currently detained in the Vault, awaiting trial or serving lengthy sentences.

Plots

Malibu Madness

Carry On

Noise and Confusion (Simon only)

There Will Be Peace

Meta

Socked by: Nathan (player)